Rex Mays Classic returns to Milwaukee Mile

Forever linked to The Milwaukee Mile, former championship-winning Indy car driver Rex Mays has had his name tied to the traditional late May-early June open-wheel race held at The Mile from 1950 until 1983 at the historic speedway.

For the second year running, the Rex Mays Classic name returns to The Milwaukee Mile in a popular component on Sunday, May 31, as the marquee name of the speedway’s vintage Indy car event on The Mile’s double-header Indy Car Series and Firestone Indy Lights race day.

This year, over fifteen authentic vintage Indy cars will be featured, including one Mays captured the pole position with for the 1935 and 1936 Indianapolis 500. The main Rex Mays Classic on-track exhibition will take place on Sunday, May 31 from 12:45 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. – between the Husar’s House of Fine Diamonds 100 presented by Charter Firestone Indy Lights event and as a precursor to the ABC Supply / A.J. Foyt 225 IndyCar Series spectacle, which is set to take the green flag shortly after 2:30 p.m. at America’s Legendary Oval.

A 20-minute morning warm-up session is planned at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday for these pristine machines that have been painstakingly restored to original running condition. Among the vintage Indy cars expected is the 1961 “Sun City" Watson-Offy that Rodger Ward drove to victory at The Milwaukee Mile in the 1961 edition of the Rex Mays Classic, covering the 100-mile event in flag-to-flag fashion for Milwaukee’s own Leader Cards team. The record-setting 1937 Thorne-Sparks “Big Six," driven by Jimmy Snyder will be on hand as well.

  Snyder in this car became the first driver to qualify at over 130 mph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mark that will forever stand as being the fastest car qualified for the Indy 500 prior to World War II.

The Rex Mays Classic will also feature a former Tony Bettenhausen Watson roadster and a former Milwaukee Mile-winning Jack McGrath Kurtis 3000.  The 1972 All-American Racers Eagle – which was Mark Donohue’s final Indy car and Rick Mears’ first – will again be on-hand along with the 1946 Jewell Special that raced for nearly a decade in AAA and in NASCAR’s open-wheel division. To further endear fans to the potent designs of yester year, Rex Mays Classic Vintage Indy car event participants are planning on having their cars on display during the Saturday, May 30 IndyCar Series all-driver autograph session, scheduled between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Entries are coming in daily for the 2009 edition of the Rex Mays Classic, so be sure to get The Milwaukee Mile early on race day to take in the sights and sounds of cars that produced legends. When not on-track, the proud owners, drivers and Rex Mays Classic vintage Indy cars will be easily accessible in the infield of The Mile, near the tunnel and paddock entrance. 

Fans that have a Sunday, May 31 grandstand ticket can access the infield for no additional charge. Sunday, May 31 race tickets starting at $20 are available at The Milwaukee Mile Ticket Office, by calling (414) 453-8277, or by visiting the speedway’s website.